Hi Laurie,  To add to your thread on compression.....As a matter of technique
I don't generally compress anywhere near the areola, unless there are
palpated firm, full ducts in that area, as the closer to the areola the more
likely you are to disrupt the latch. When I talk to Moms about the technique
I use the analogy of trying to squeeze the air out of a balloon with a hole
in it ie. the further back from the hole, the more effective it seems. This
also seems to convey that gentle firm pressure works as well as more
vigorous. I sense that many lactnetters feel that the technique is
unnecessarilly invasive and disruptive to a happilly nursing baby and I might
agree but I use the technique VERY often, as most of my babies currently, are
not happilly nursing yet! When I was in the hospital working with fresh
postpartum Moms, I must say that I would demo the technique to virtually all
of the new Moms that I saw . This will generate some controversy I'm sure,
but I found it to be useful in teaching Moms the identification of a swallow
ie.simply because the baby swallows more often and thus she is more likely to
notice it and also because I think it is empowering to a Mom to think that
she can possibly impact the amount of milk the baby takes with a feeding.
Also, I think that the outer area of the breast was id'd as a good spot for
compression because that area often seems to be the hardest spot to drain
without compression.
Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc
Franklin, Massachusetts-  Where is spring??!!

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